Adjustable skirt



H. J. MUSHlER ADJUSTABLE SKIRT 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 17, 1947 fly . INVENTOR. Ham/d J, Mus/Her,

, 9 r4 TTOfF/VEYS Nov. 8, 1949 H. J. MUSHIER ADJUSTABLE SKIRT 3 Shets-Sheet 2 Filed June 17, 1947 INVENTOR .Hara/d J Mushzer' T TOENZ Y5 1 1949 H. J. MUSHIER 2,487,5

ADJUSTABLE SKIRT Filed June 17, 19417 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 3 IN VEN TOR. Ham/d J Mus-Mar:

WW ZZWYMM Patented Nov. 8, 1.949

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I 2,487,580 ADJUSTABLE SKIRT Harold J. Miishler, Manhasset; N. Y. Application June 17, 1947, Serial No. 755,172

'7 Claims.

beset forth in part hereinafter and in part will.

be obvious hereirom, or-may be learned by -practies with the invention, the same being realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention consists in the novel parts constructions, arrangements, combinations andimprovements herein shown and described.-

The accompanying drawings, referred to-heree in and constituting a part hereof, illustrate two embodiments of the inventiomand together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

Of the drawings:

Figure 1 is a general view .showing an illustrative and preierrediorm of adjustable skirt in accordance with the present invention Figure 2 is a fragmentary detailed section takenon the line 2-4 of Figure 1; V

Figure 3 is a fragmentary elevation of the parts shown in Figure .2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary detailedsection tale: on on the line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 isa fragmentary elevation of shown in Figure 4 g Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 1;.

Figure '7 is a general view showing the skirt of Figure 1 in the process of being donned;

the parts Figure ,8 is a general view showing the skirt.

of Figures 1 and 7 as it is worn in one position of adjustment;

Figure 9' is a similar general view showing the skirt in a different position. of adjustment;

Figure 10 is a generalview showing a modified form of the present invention;

Figure 11 is a general view showing of Figure 10 as it is donned; and

Figure 12 is a general view showing. the skirt of Figure 10 as it is worn. v

The present invention has for its objectthe provision of. a novelv and improved adjustable skirt. vA. further object of the inventionqis the provision of a skirt which canbemanufactu-l'ed economically, with every small amount of labor and involving very little cutting and stitching. A further object of the invent-ionic the provision of. a skirt which is adjustable to fit different individuals within a .moderaterange of sizes and the skirt which can. be draped in difierentmanners inaecordance with the individual preference of the wearer. Still another object of the invention is the provision of an improved skirt which can be readily adjusted so as to be worn in diflerent lengths, thus providing a long skirt suitable for formalloccasions or one or more different shorter lengths for other occasions. The invention fur,- ther provides a skirt which may be easily put on andtaken off and in which a portion of the waist.

and circling part may serve to form a pocket or container. v

In general, the skirt of the present invention comprisesa single rectangular length of relatively wide material which joined together along its opposite selvedge edges for a portion of the length. of the fabric to form a tubular member which is left unjoined throughout a considerable, and oftentimes a major portion of its length. Along this considerable Iengthof the unclosed selv'edge edgesthere is provided one or more loops, one of the loops being relatively close to the stitching joining the selvedge edges, while another loop is spaced from the first loop, and the space between the two loops is provided with closures whereby the selvedge may be temporarily secured to the other selvedge if desired. Immediately adjacent the end. of the loop away from the selvedge stitching is provided a hook or other .fastening member, and a cooperating fastening member or eye is positioned iurther along the unstitched portion of the selvedge, a distance corresponding generally to the girthof the wearer. Wheremore than one loopis provided another similar set of hooks and eyes or similar cooperating fastening members-are provided.

In wearing the garment, the wearer steps into the tubular portion and draws it upwardly until the bottommost loopis approximately at the level of the waist, with the selved'ge edges usually -at the wearersside. The rearward selvedge edge is then drawn about the waist of thewearer from thehackaround tothe front and across the front until the eye or cooperating fastening member can be ,engagedwith the hook,- therebysecuring the skirt at the waist. Thereafter the corner of the opposite or forward selvedge edge is passed through the loop at the waist and thesomewha-t triangular portion of the fabric is arranged around the midriff forming a sash where it hangs through the loop. The midriff portion may be folded or draped as desired, and the hanging sash portion may again be passed through the.

3 crushed on the second passage through the loop, the form of the puff or bunch may be changed as desired. Alternatively, by positioning the selvedge at the rear. the puff may be made to serve in the manner of a bustle.

In a further alternative mode of wearing, the skirt is lowered, and one of the upper sets of hooks and eyes or other fastening means are secured with the rearward selvedge edge around the waist after which the frontal triangular portion is passed through the loop and used as a sash or decorative puff. Thereafter the snap fasteners or other closure means for the adjacent selvedge edges are fastened so as to keep the gap closed although it is normally covered by the draped sash portion.

In accordance with the modified embodiment 38 into engagement with the hook 36 positioned at the left side of her waist. When this gathering of the selvedge encircling the waist of the wearer has been accomplished, the upper forward corner 45 of the garment will be drawn through the 100p 2350 as to gather the somewhat of the invention, the somewhat triangular corner formed by the upper edge of the fabric and the forward selvedge edge is gathered, and when draped at the side of the wearer and secured by the loop, forms a convenient pouch.

It will be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description as well are exemplary and explanatory of the invention but are not restrictive thereof.

Referring now in detail to the illustrative embodiment of the invention in its preferred form as shown in Figures 1 to 9 of the drawings, the skirt is formed from a single rectangular piece of material It somewhat wider than the girth of the wearer around the hips, and slightly longer than the desired length of skirt plus the girth of the wearer at the waist. The material may be of any desired kind, but is preferably a relatively soft fabric that is easily draped and does not wrinkle unduly. The long edges l2 and [4 of the fabric piece It] may be left unfinished as selvedge edges or may be provided with a narrow hem, while the top and bottom edges l6 and 18 are preferably provided with a somewhat wider hem. The selvedge edges I2 and I4 are then stitched together asat 20 from the desired lower point to a point 24 slightly above the iliac crest. The lowermost point 22 of the stitching may be either at the bottom of the hem It or slightly thereabove if it is desired to leave a slit 26 at the bottom of the skirt. Along the rearward selvedge l2 and in the order named beginning with the point 24, are a fabric loop 28, a hook 30, a plurality of snap fasteners 32, a second loop 34, a second hook 36, a pair of eyes 38, and a second pair of eyes 40. The loops 28 and 34, as well as the hooks 30 and 36 and the eyes 38 and 4B,'are spaced a distance equal to the distance between the hemline of the skirt in its short position and the hemline of the skirt in its long position, and the eyes of the pair 38 are spaced from each other a short distance so that the waist portion may be adjusted to accommodate individuals of slightly different size, as well as for difierent degrees of tightness on a particular individual. On the forward selvedge edge l4 are provided the cooperating snap fastener parts 33 to engage with their mates 32 and close the gap at the side when the dress is worn in long position.

Various forms of loops, hooks, eyes and fasteners may be used, but they are illustratively shown in Figures 2 to 5 in the preferred form, and the loops 28 and 34 are preferably a fabric tape of the same material as the skirt, securely stitched at the ends 42 of the loop to the selvedge 28 or 34, the bent portion of each hook being ad-'- The hooks 30 and '36 are positioned closely adjacent the upper end of their respective loop triangular portion 46 of the material about the m'idriff to form the folded portion 4'! as shown in Figure 8, at the same time drawing the frontal bodyportiorr ofthe fabric somewhat as at 48. The end 45 is then again passed through the loop 28 and the portion of the fabric 48 which'has been passed through the loop'is crushed to form the bunch 49 at the side of the wearer.

bunch 49 is at the rear.

Figure 9 of the drawing shows the skirt in its lengthened position inwhich case the loop 34 has been located in the same position as is occupied by loop'28in' Figure 7, the remainder of the operations being carried out in'substantially the same manner. 5 1

Figures 10 to 12 illustrate a modified embodiment of the invention'more particularly adapted for sports wear. -In general the construction the same as that shown in Figures 1 to 6, except that only one loop and one hook are provided, and the forward upper corner 45 has been replaced'byan extended, gathered portion which may be provided with elastic if desired. As illustrated, the seam 20 terminates at a point 24 as in Figure 1 and immediately above the point 24, is provided a loop 28' which hasits lower end secured to the selvedge hem 12, but preferably on the exterior thereof as at 29. The upper end of the loop is providedwitlra snap fastener 3| by which it is-secured to the cooperating part of the fastener 33' sewed directly on the exterior of the selvedge hem l2 at the proper distance. Hook 30 and eyes 38 are provided and are spaced from each other a distance corresponding to the general dimensions of the waist of the wearer. upper hem l6 terminates short of the fabric corner 45, and is gathered by shirring 50 to a point slightly above the hook 30. If desired the shirring may be in'the form of a hem within which is secured a length of-elastic.

After the skirt has been donned in the same manner as in Figure '7, the shirred portion is gathered at theside of thewearer, the loop 28' is fastened over the gathered'material and the gathered material is allowed to hang at the side as a sash with the shirred edge 50 gathering the fabric-upwardlyso as to form a draped pouch 52, the gathered edge 50 being shown in dotted lines in Figure 12 in the position it normally occupies when worn. V

The invention in its .broader aspects is not limited to the specific mechanisms shown and described but departures maybe made therefrom".

within the scope of the accompanying claims without departing from the principles of the in vention and without sacrificing its chief advan If a bustle is desired the skirt can be twisted until the The l What I claim is:

1. A skirt comprising a piece of fabric joined together along its opposite side edges for a substantial distance beginning at a point near the bottom of the skirt, said opposite side edges being unjoined at the top of the skirt for a distance at least that of the girth on one side edge above the upper end of the joined edges, a fastening means adjacent the support, a cooperating fastening means on said side edge spaced a distance from the first fastening means corresponding to the girth of the wearer, said one side edge being adapted to be slidably held by said support and encircle the irth of the wearer with the fastening means joined when the skirt is in the worn adjusted position.

2. A skirt as claimed in claim 1 in which the piece of fabric is substantially rectangular and longer from top to bottom than it is wide.

3. A skirt comprising a piece of fabric joined together along its opposite side edges for a substantial distance beginning at a point near the bottom of the skirt, said opposite side edges being unjoined at the top of the skirt for a distance at least that of the girth of the wearer, a support on one side edge above the upper end of the joined edges, a pair of cooperating fastening means on one side edge of the fabric spacedthere along a distance corresponding to the girth of the wearer, said one side edge being adapted to be of the wearer, a support,

file of this patent:

slidably held by said support and encircle the girth of the wearer with the fastening means joined when the skirt is in the worn adjusted position. v

4. A skirt as claimed in claim 3 in which a second pair of similarly spaced cooperating fastening means are provided on said side edge to permit adjustment in length of the skirt on the wearer in the wornadjusted position.

5. A skirt as claimed in claim 1 in which the upper corner of the fabric at the other side edge is gathered for a substantial distance on each side of the corner.

6. A skirt as claimed in claim 5 in which the fabric is elastically gathered at both sides of the corner.

'7. A skirt as claimed in claim 1 in which the upper corner of the other side edge is'gathered to form a pouch.

HAROLD J. MUSHIER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the UNITED STATES PATENT Number Name Date 614,290 Conde Nov. 15, 1898 1,155,551 Cooper et a1. Oct. 5, 1915 2,104,943 DAchon Jan. 11, 1938 

